Questioning airport expansion—A case study of Canberra International Airport

World air traffic is expected to grow substantially in the next decade and beyond. Associated with this are accelerated programs to build new airports and expand existing ones. However, aviation futures are increasingly contested globally on ecological and resource grounds, and in relation to the quality of life of affected local communities, and to growing fears associated with terrorism, wars and civil unrest. This case study addresses the issues arising from the privatisation and expansion of Canberra International Airport in Australia. Aircraft noise is a major concern for community groups, and land use planning also emerged as a key issue in a highly publicised conflict between a land developer and Canberra airport management. An important outcome is the recognition of the need for independent policy institutes—working in conjunction with community groups—to challenge the prevailing hegemony of the business-political nexus.